Art of packaging



Aug. 7, 1945, IM. BENNETT ART OF PACKAGING Filed Oct. 29, 1942 V HATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 7,-1945 UNITED sra-rss 'PATENT OFFicE" am' or racxaomo Milton Bennett; Briarelil Manor, N. Y.allgnor' v.

to Mllprlnt, Ine., Milwaukee, Wis., a

of Delaware application omhazs, im. seria No.' am

l z clans. v(ci. iis-sam It has previously been proposed 'to provide.

various styles of composite wrappers each consisting oi' an outer relatively rigid box or carton .lined with a thinner and more iiexible sheet of material of bag-like formation, for the purpose of packing batches of diverse commodities. and such composite wrapping assemblages have gone into quite extensive use. Considerable dimculty has heretofore been encountered in causing the highly flexible sheets or liner bags to hug all portions of the interiors of the stiffer outer cartons, and also in properly maintaining the liners in proper place after initial positioning thereof within the boxes. In many of the prior lined boxes, the relatively thin linings are not-sutilciently protected while permitting convenient access to the interior of the wrappers for inspection and display purposes; and most of the previous structures of this general type cannot be quicklyV and conveniently manufactured and assembled without the aid of complex and costly machinery.

'I'he present invention therefore contemplates the provision of an improved method whereby relatively rigid boxes or cartons may be quickly andv effectively lined with snug-litting flexible liner bags. in such manner that the liners` are permanently maintained within the cartons and the interiorsicf the lined boxes are conveniently accessible at all times.

Another specific object of my present invention is to provide an improved composite wrapper assemblage o the type comprising an outer relatively stiff shell and an inner flexible lining in the form of a bag.

A further specificv object of this invention is to provide an improved method of eiecting concealment of batches of commodity within composite wrappers in such manner that the commodity will be thoroughly protected but still readily ac.

cessible 'for inspection and display.

An additional speciilc object of the invention is to provide an'improved lined carton assemblage in which the enclosed commodity can be periodically removed lin small doses and resealed after each withdrawal of a dose.

Still another specific object of my invention is 4to provide an improved mode of applying and of attaching a ilexible bag liner within 'a prismatic outer carton or the like, so that the lined carton may be readily loaded and eilectively sealed. y

Another specinc object of this invention is to provide an improved duo-ply wrapper assembly I which is simple, compact and durable in construction, and which can be readily constructed at moderate cost and with simple equipment.V

'Ihese and other objects and advantages of the present improvement will be apparent from the following description.

A clear conception of the several steps constituting my improved method, and ofthe construction of the improved composite wrapper resulting from the use of the method, may be had by referring to the drawing -accompanying and forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate the same or simila parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic part'sectional perspective view illustrating theinitial or iirst step of my improved method of producing bag lined cartons, ment:

Fig. 2 is a similarly diagrammatic and part secwith the aid of simple equiptional side view showing the start of the second Step:

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing a continuation of the second step of the improved method;

Fig. 4 is another similarI view showing the completion of the second step of the method;

Fig. 5 is a part sectional side view of one of the bag lined cartons nlled' with commodity and bel ing subjected to the third or initial closure step of the improved method of packaging; Fig. 6 is a part sectional perspective view illustrating a continuation of the third or closureA step: and

Fig. 7 is a part sectional side elevation of the ilnal package, showing the closure aps of the outer or closure carton in open position.

Although the invention has been shown and described herein as being appliedto a method of forming composite wrappers each comprising a rigid rectangularprismatic main carton lined with a highly exible transparent bag and closed or sealed by'means of a transparent cover sheet and a rigid rectangular prisxnatic lcover carton coacting therewith. it is vnot: intended to' thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the method winch may also be applied to the production of wrappers of other shapes and sizes not necessarily utilizing the closing or sealing means disclosed herein.

Referring to the drawing which depicts the several steps of the improved method, it should be understood that while this method may be carried on by hand, commercial exploitation thereof is facilitated by utilizing relatively simple apparatus such as a rigid form 9 having'4 a base I: a hollow rectangular or tubular wallA II extending upwardly from the base III and being provided with opposite airescape or vent grooves I2; and a rectangular folding frame I3 surrounding and spaced from the lower portion ofthe wall I I and being supported from the base I0 by means of extensions Il, see Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. This' form 9 may be constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material and should be oi' such size and shape that it will approximately fit and properly cooperate with boxes or cartons .of the particular size and shape which are to be lined thereon.

Each lof the completed composite wrappers which are adapted to be manufactured or assembled with the form 9 by my improved method, comprises a main box or relatively rigid carton I5, a flexible sheet liner `or lining bag I6, a transparent flexible closure sheet I1, and a cover or closure box or rigid carton IB of such size and shape that it may be slipped over the remainder of the wrapper assemblage. All of these elements have been shown more or less diagrammaticaliy and thicker than they actually are in practice, in order to clarify the disclosure.

The rigid main and closure cartons I5, IB may be formed of cardboard or other suitable rela' of as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6. and both cartons I5, IB are adapted to be folded atwise or collapsed when their flaps I9, 2l are opened or distended. i

The liners Il which are preferably of bag-like formation, may be formed of relatively tenacious v but thin and highly flexible sheet material such as regene ted celluldse nlm or rubber compound sheeting. ese bag liners II may be transparent, opaque, or semi-transparent, and preferably have box-like bottoms 22 and are adapted -to be collapsed so that they may be stacked compactly. The flexible closure sheets I1 may be formed of similar sheet material, but are preferably relatively transparent in order to permit inspection and display of commodity 22 which may'be confined within` the wrapper assem blages, when the flaps of the closure carton i2 are opened as in Fig. A'1. The liner bagsY li should be of such size and shape that they may be rather snugly positioned over the form 9' when the bags are `distended, and the sheets I1 should be considerably larger than the carton openings which they ultimately cover and close.

in carrying on thepresent improved method of assembling theV wrappers and of packing batches ofthe commodity 22, each liner bag Il should iirst be distended, inverted and 905iassuma tioned over the form 9 with the mouth portion of the bag embracing theslower frame I3, as illustrated in Fig. i. An inverted cup-shaped main carton I5 should thereafter be lowered over the bottom 22 of the initially positioned bag I6 as shown in Fig. 2, and the carton I5 should subsequently be lowered to the position indicated in Ifig. 3 wherein the open end of the rigid carton is about to enter the space between the frame I2 and the walls Il. The downward movement of the stiff main carton II should then be continued, and will cause the mouth portion 24 of the liner bag I6 to be folded snugly around the exterior of the carton I5 over `the adhesive area 2i, while at the same time stretching the bag liner I6 into snug engagement with the interior of the carton iand forcing the peripheral portion of the bag bottom 22 intofthe corners at the bottom of the main carton. as depicted in Fig. 4. During this lowering of the main carton I5 over the invertedbag I8 the air which is confined within the liner by the walls II of the form 9, will be slightly compressed and will thus assist the form inexpanding the lining bag into snug engagement with the carton interior, but this compressed air eventually escapes through the` grooves or recesses I2 of the form 9. When the carton Il is finally lowered to its lowermost position, the upper end of the form 9 will 'force the periphery of the bag bottorn 22 into snug contact with the bottom corners of the carton, and the frame I2 will likewise force the folded mouth portion 24 of the bag into snug engagement with the exterior of the carton I5 where the fold will be retained by the adhesive. The successive main cartons I5A may thus be quickly and effectively snugly lined with bag liners I6 permanently attached thereto, and may be freely removed from the form 9 after the lining has been applied.

The bag lined cartons Il may subsequently be righted and loaded with commodity 22 as indicated in Fig. 5, and 'transparent cover sheet I1 may then be placed centrally across the carton openingafter which the peripheral or edge portions 25 of this sheet I1 should be bent downwardly over the outer fold 24 of the liner IB as shown. An outer cover carton Il may thereafter be slipped downwardly over the sheet portions 25 and main carton Ii as illustrated in'll'ig.l 6, thereby completely concealing and thoroughly protecting the inner wrapper and the commodity 22. The commodity 22 may thereafter-be in'- spected or displayed to prospective purchasers without permitting direct access thereto: vbut any desired portion of the material may be readily removed by merely withdrawlng the closure carton Il and removing the cover sheet I1, and

^ the package can obviously be repeatedly reclosed .to conceal and preserve the residual commodity.

From the foregoing detailed description it should be apparent that the present invention provides an extremely useful and effective oomposite wrapper assemblage for batches of diverse commodities, and ank improved method of quickw portion 24 of each liner. also clears the carton opening from obstruction and facilitates loading, and the use of the cover sheets i1 and closure cartons Il iinally protects the enwrapped commodity 23 while permitting convenient access thereto. The use of the simple form 9 also facilitates commercial exploitation of the improved wrapping method, and the pneumatic pressure created by the use of this form 9 cooperates with the form structure to insure snug application of the liners to the cartons without undesirable wrinkling of the thin andexlble bags. The improved composite wrappers may be produced in various sizes and shapes, and at moderate cost, and the method has proven highly satisfactory in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact steps of the method or to the precise construction of the equipment and packages, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. The method of producing a. composite wrapper, which comprises, loosely inserting the major portion of a exible bag within a, relatively rigid carton so that the mouth portion of the bag projects outwardly beyond the carton end opening, conning atmospheric air within the bagwhile applying the carton thereto, and thereafter restrictively releasing confined air from within said bag so as -to compress the said air and to cause the same to distend the bag into intimate contact with the carton sides and bottom While simultaneously positively forcing the peripheral bottom portions of the bag into snug engagement with the corners of the carton bottom and folding the projecting bag mouth portion over and into snug contact with the exterior of the carton around its open end.

2. The method of producing a composite wrapper, which comprises, loosely inserting the major portion of a flexible bag within a relatively rigid carton having an external adhesive area near its open end so that the mouth portion of the bag projects outwardly beyond said carton end, confining atmospheric air within the bag while applying the carton thereto, and thereafter restric-l carton area.

MILTON BENNETT. 

